Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD
There’s a lot to love about summer—warm weather, long days and all that outdoor time with love ones. Unfortunately, the season also poses risks, especially if you have diabetes.
All that sun, heat and humidity can cause dehydration and heat exhaustion. Symptoms include dizziness, excessive sweating muscle cramps, headache, rapid heartbeat and nausea and, if left untreated heat exhaustion can escalate into heatstroke, a potentially life-threatening condition that requires a doctor’s attention.
Good nutrition can help keep you safe from heat-related ailments. In addition to seeking shade instead of direct sun and avoiding strenuous physical activity during the hottest hours of the day, keep yourself safe by drinking sugar-and caffeine-free fluids throughout the day and stock up on fresh produce. The season’s delicious bounty will help you:
- Hydrate with fresh fruit. Summer is the peak season for refreshing and replenishing melons, berries, peaches and nectarines. Their high water content will help cool you down even on the hottest days.
- Stay energized with good carbs. Carbohydrates have gotten such a bad rap lately, you may believe you have to steer clear of fruit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy, and you can surely eat a serving (one medium piece of fruit or 1/2 cup juicy water melon (5.5 g carbohydrates); a medium peach (14.5g) 1/2 cup sweet-tart blackberries and raspberries (7g) and other summer fruits.
- Protect yourself with vitamins and antioxidants. Summer fruits—and vegetables like arugula, cucumbers, zucchini and squash—are also great sources of vitamins C and A. C is a powerful antioxidant that helps combat the adverse effects of free radicals from sun exposure, pollution (like grill smoke) and some processed foods. Vitamin A is essential form maintaining healthy skin. In addition, red fruits such as water melon and tomatoes are sources of the antioxidant lycopene, shown in a recent University of Manchester study to help protect against sunburn damage.
Source: Christine M.D., RD, CDE Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association
Posts
yes fruit is very necessary in summer and fruit which have water quantity is very good for health. i take water melon like fruit.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I've been hydrating with canteloupe lately, and of course strawberries and every other type of berry.....so refreshing!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Fruit is essential in a healthy diet - but making sure you wash it before eating is equally important! Reduce your risk of food poisoning by washing your fruits and veggies under cool water for at least 10 seconds before enjoying. Help spread the word about the importance of preventing foodborne illness and be entered in the drawing for an iPad! Visit http://www.homefoodsafety.org/about-blog-contest for details!
ReplyDelete